Lenovo is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the ThinkPad brand with two new products that are aimed at business users. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is Lenovo's most recent vision for the ultrabook platform while the ThinkPad Tablet 2 is an x86 based touch-enabled device for Windows 8.

As its name implies, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon makes extensive use of carbon fiber to enhance strength while still providing a lightweight platform for business travelers (it weighs less than three pounds). The machine packs in a 14" display (1600 x 900), third-generation Intel Core processors, RapidCharge technology (allows the battery to recover up to 80 percent of its capacity within 35 minutes), glass touchpad, and built-in 3G connectivity.

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon comes with the usual array of ports including two USB ports (only one of which is USB 3.0), a 4-in-1 media reader, and mini DisplayPort.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon

“Very few brands are fortunate enough to become an industry icon with loyal fans who are passionate about each generation of ThinkPad products,” said Peter Hortensius, president, Think Product Group, Lenovo. “With that in mind, we’re excited to debut the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, the pinnacle of our ongoing quest to push the boundaries on great design and engineering. It meets the demand for an extremely thin and light laptop with the performance users need to accomplish their professional and business goals.”

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon starts at $1,299 and will be available later this month from Lenovo.com.

The ThinkPad Tablet 2 is built on the tried-and-true formula of a 10.1" screen (1366x768), 10-hour battery life, and a relatively thin profile (0.39" thick). The tablet will be powered by Intel processors (sorry, ARM) and will come in Wi-Fi, 3G, and 4G LTE models. The ThinkPad Tablet 2 will also be available with a keyboard dock that features Lenovo's redesigned keyboard layout (for better or worse).

Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2

The ThinkPad Tablet 2 will be available in October to coincide with the launch of Windows 8. Pricing will be revealed at that time.